What is the recommended active shooter response protocol for court officers?

• A. Remain in place and wait for instructions.
• B. Run if safe; hide and barricade if not; as last resort, engage only if trained and with policy guidance; notify others and law enforcement.
• C. Evacuate only the immediate area, ignoring others.
• D. Respond by physically confronting any threat immediately, regardless of training.

Answer: (B)

The test is about using a Run–Hide–Fight approach for active shooter situations in a courthouse. The best protocol starts with moving to safety if you can escape without exposing others to greater danger. If escape isn’t possible, you should hide and barricade to create a physical barrier and buy time, making it harder for the shooter to reach you or others. Engaging the threat is reserved for a last resort and only if you are trained and it aligns with your agency’s policy. Throughout, you must notify others and law enforcement so responders can coordinate a response and secure the area.

In a court environment, this sequence helps protect the largest number of people by prioritizing safe evacuation, then safe sheltering, and only resorting to direct confrontation when trained to do so and when policy permits. The emphasis on rapid, informed decision-making and clear communication with responders is what makes this approach the recommended standard.